The European Parliament today voted to end brick-shaped lorries, clearing the way for advances in fuel efficiency and safety for drivers, cyclists and pedestrians. The new law allows lorrymakers to produce new designs but industry lobbyists secured a ban until 2022 even though the new designs are voluntary, not mandatory. The Commission will propose new safety requirements for trucks by amending its vehicle safety regulations by 2016.

William Todts of Transport & Environment (T&E), said: “With today’s vote we turn a page in road safety and lorry fuel efficiency, though the effects won’t be seen on our roads until 2022. It’s ludicrous that governments gave in to truckmakers’ condition to ban innovation for as long as possible. In an industry that sorely needs more competition, especially on fuel efficiency, Europe should now follow the US example and set ambitious fuel efficiency standards for lorries.”

The European Commission originally proposed that lorrymakers would be free to introduce the new designs by 2017. MEPs supported this stance but EU governments were persuaded to push for a ban until 2025 by manufacturers eager to delay any disruption of the “competitive balance” between them. In trilogue negotiations, the Parliament managed to reduce the delay to 2022, although the exact timing remains uncertain and depends on when the new safety rules will be agreed.

The design changes will allow European lorries to have slightly longer, more aerodynamic cabins than the current box-shaped ones, which are restricted to 2.35m in length. The new designs will improve protection for pedestrians and cyclists, as well as crash performance and the driver’s field of vision, which can be increased 50%. Before new designs can hit the road, the Commission must first develop the specific safety rules. A proposal for this has been announced for 2016.

Every year 15% of all fatal collisions in Europe – around 4,200 deaths – involve lorries, according to the European Transport Safety Council. That makes lorries twice as deadly as cars. According to a new European Commission study, life-saving design changes to lorry cabs can save up to 900 lives every year. In a separate declaration the Commission has said it will propose amendments to its vehicle safety regulations in 2016 to develop new safety requirements for trucks.

While lorries make up only 3% of vehicles, they account for 25% of road transport CO2 emissions in Europe. Their fuel efficiency has stagnated for the last 20 years and, contrary to cars or vans, the EU has not set fuel economy standards for trucks. T&E estimates that a more streamlined cab along with rear flaps could also improve fuel efficiency by up to 7-10%, saving hauliers around €3,000 per vehicle per year.